OBERLIN, Ohio — A lawsuit filed by Ohioans for Concealed Carry against Oberlin appears to have jumpstarted the repeal of several city gun laws.

City Council on Monday voted to rescind its laws that involve concealed weapons, the improper handling of firearms, the possession of a replica gun in a school safety zone and the possession of a defaced gun. State law pre-empted the city's ordinances.

"They're moving in the right direction,'' said Jeff Garvas, the president and founder of Ohioans for Concealed Carry. "I wish we could have resolved this without having gone to court.''

Asked whether the lawsuit had anything to do with Council's actions Monday, Rimbert said, "It made us aware of what we had to do.''

Council's vote is the latest move in the ongoing dispute with guns-rights advocates. The issue of guns in Oberlin began heating up in August.

That's when Brian Kuzawa of Ashland County emailed the city's police chief, Tom Miller, and said he would be going to a city park with his family. He said he and his wife would be carrying firearms and didn't want to be arrested by police in a city where the local ordinance runs against state law.

A few hours later, Kuzawa said, Miller called and told him it was legal to carry firearms in city parks.

Gun-rights advocates picnicked at Park Street Park twice. They were met by residents and others who opposed guns in parks. Kuzawa and his wife are named in the suit as plaintiffs. He has declined to comment.

Guns in city parks was a key issue in the suit. City law had long held that the possession of guns was illegal in parks. State statute, however, permits that people can carry weapons in most public places, including parks. Council and many residents said they despised the thought of people in their parks holstering weapons.

On Sept. 16, City Council voted 4-3 on allowing guns in parks, saying that they feared legislation and wanted to end the demonstrations. But just weeks later, Ohioans for Concealed Carry sued. It cited the phrase in the new parks ordinance that said: "The unlawful possession, use or discharge of any type of firearm is strictly forbidden.''

The group said the wording was vague, and it should not have mentioned possession, as state law addresses that.

While Council repealed several ordinances related to gun issues Monday, the ordinance regarding the weapons in parks was not addressed. For the time being, it remains on the city's books and part of the lawsuit.

David Kessler, an attorney representing Ohioans for Concealed Carry, could not be reached on the issue.

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